Novo Nordisk CEO Lars Fruergaard Jørgensen expressed optimism on Friday regarding the potential of the company’s experimental weight loss pill, amycretin, suggesting it could emerge as a leading treatment for obesity.
The Danish pharmaceutical giant is swiftly moving to leverage the immense success of its blockbuster weight loss drug, Wegovy, by developing a new generation of obesity treatments, including more convenient and potentially more affordable pills.
Jørgensen’s comments followed Novo Nordisk’s impressive unveiling of early-stage trial data on amycretin, which showed that patients using the pill achieved a weight loss of approximately 13.1% after 12 weeks.
This surpasses the 6% weight loss observed in individuals taking Wegovy over the same period, contributing to the growing excitement surrounding the potential of weight loss pills.
The CEO highlighted the significance of offering more convenient options to patients, acknowledging the potential to address supply challenges currently affecting weight loss injections like Wegovy, which have experienced surging demand and periodic shortages due to their effectiveness in promoting significant weight loss over time.
“We believe that in the future, there will be various segments of anti-obesity treatments catering to different patient preferences,” Jørgensen remarked during an interview with CNBC. “While some patients may prefer injectables, we firmly believe that offering a pill option will be highly convenient.”
However, the availability of these pills is not imminent. Novo Nordisk disclosed that a midstage trial for amycretin is slated to commence in the latter half of the year, with results anticipated in early 2026.
In a separate conversation with Reuters, Novo Nordisk’s head of development, Martin Holst Lange, expressed confidence in the company’s ability to launch amycretin within this decade.
Amycretin operates by suppressing appetite through targeting the same gut hormone, GLP-1, that Wegovy mimics, while also influencing a pancreatic hormone called amylin, which impacts hunger.
Following the release of the data, Novo Nordisk’s U.S.-traded shares surged by up to 8.3% on Thursday, extending the previous year’s impressive 68% gain. However, the company’s stock experienced a 2% decline on Friday.
